EBay and three former top executives have agreed to pay $55.7 million to resolve a lawsuit filed by a Massachusetts couple who were victims of a bizarre stalking and harassment campaign.
Several former employees harassed the couple in retaliation for “critical” coverage of eBay in their newsletter.
The cyber-stalking campaign involved sending the couple cockroaches, fly larvae and a bloody Halloween pig mask.
David and Ina Steiner announced the settlement late on Monday, bringing an end to a case they filed in 2021 in a Boston federal court. As part of the settlement, eBay agreed to pay $46.15 million to the couple; fund $6 million in charitable contributions to non-profit organisations; and issue a “strongly worded” statement about the conduct of three of its top former executives.
“We believe this resolution sends a clear message that corporations and their executives cannot engage in this type of misconduct without facing significant consequences,” said Christopher Murphy, the Steiners' attorney.
EBay said what happened to the Steiners was “wrong, reprehensible and should never have happened”. The company added: “We continue to extend our deepest apologies to the Steiners. This agreement is consistent with our commitment to fairly compensate the Steiners and fulfils our efforts to make things right.”
Criminal charges and fines
Seven former eBay workers pled guilty and received sentences of up to 57 months in prison for participating in the scheme, which involved several of them travelling from California to Natick, Massachusetts to monitor the Steiners and try to install a GPS tracking device on their car.
Prosecutors have said the aim was to silence them after senior executives deemed their newsletter, EcommerceBytes, critical of the company.
The campaign began after then-chief executive Devin Wenig texted Steve Wymer, then its chief communications officer, in August 2019, saying it was time to “take her down”, referring to Ina Steiner, according to prosecutors and the Steiners.
EBay was criminally charged and agreed in 2024 to pay a $3 million fine.
Wenig, a former Thomson Reuters executive who stepped down as eBay chief in September 2019, was never charged. His lawyers did not respond to a request for comment but have argued he had no knowledge of or involvement in the harassment.
As part of the settlement, the Steiners' attorneys said Wenig will pay them $2 million and make a $1 million donation to a charity focused on protecting First Amendment rights in the name of Ina Steiner.
Wendy Jones, who previously served as senior vice president of global operations, and Wymer will pay the couple $500,000 and $50,000, respectively, the plaintiffs say. Their lawyers did not respond to requests for comment.
The Steiners' lawyers said additional settlements were reached with all other eBay employees named in their lawsuit.
